BlackBerry CEO John Chen has confirmed that his company will launch two new Android smartphones this year. They’ll both be mid-range devices, Chen said, with one offering a physical keyboard and the other being a full touch device. None of the devices other features were mentioned, though.

One phone will feature a physical keyboard, while the other will be a completely touchscreen device, according to BlackBerry CEO John Chen. While he didn't have many details to share, Chen mentioned a potential $400 price, which would be a huge discount from the Priv, which launched at $699.

That teases a price range, then, for the upcoming phones, though such details haven’t been confirmed. The company will again be pushing its secure-enough-for-enterprise niche as a marketing point for its handsets, but whether companies will decide a $400 BlackBerry running Android is worth the transition is doubtful.

Photo Credit: blackberry

So far, it also looks as though these two new handsets will be a whole lot more affordable compared to the BlackBerry Priv, which we might add, has just picked up a permanent price cut of $50 for those living in the US. Interestingly enough, the other customers in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands too, will enjoy a permanent price cut, but not for those who reside in BlackBerry’s home country, Canada.
Source: The National